Never in a million years did I think I would have my incarcerated father be a guest on my blog. Let me share with you how this post came about. In the midst of COVID-19, social distancing, and quarantine I have heard one phrase being repeated constantly. The words replaying in the minds of many is, “I feel like I am in prison.” Our entire lives have shifted, correct? We aren’t able to go as we please as we have been blessed to do so for most of our entire lives now. For the first time in our lifetime, many have feelings describe as “being prisoners in their own homes.”
Hearing this statement constantly was at first piercing to my ears and heart. I know this language of imprisonment was a figure of speech, but I started to think of my actual father who was in prison and had been for 17 years at this very moment. I wondered how he would feel with such comparison. Would he agree or disagree? Would he find humor, anger, or similarities? “What would be his reaction,” was all I could ponder. I wanted and needed answers.
On a recent call, I shared with him the wisdom he could provide a world that is in search of answers during quarantine. Here my father, a recipient of a 3 strike prison system yielded from unlawful rules of mass incarceration for the black and brown people, now has found meaning of serving others instead of simply serving time in a cell. And so, on a timed 15 minute call, I shared with him my observations of the world feeling imprisoned and asked if he could lend some survival advice. I asked, “Dad, how can you help others overcome the adversity of this season?” What are some tips that you can lend the people? He pulled from his 17 year incarcerated experience and began to list mindset opportunity after opportunity and at that moment, I knew that his voice needed to be heard as we navigate this season of what feels like “imprisonment.”
With only 90 seconds left on our call, I shared my blog vision as quickly as I could and asked of him to send his response to me in an email. While rushing, I blurted out, “What do you want to share with the people? How can we make better use of time while in isolation?” In asking these questions, he even pondered on a time while in “lock- up” where he had absolutely no human contact for over a year as a result of him demanding rights. He shared on and on telling me things he did and how he could not wait to share it with the world. I thanked God in that moment because a memory of misery turned into a moment of motivation. So here we have it, the words of my father, Ronald aka “Ron”. I pray it is a blessing to all who are navigating social distancing with meaning and intentionality.
Check out my dad at his graduation program while incarcerated!
Copy and pasted from his email, find his words below:
Hello World,
I can only imagine and understand that this [pandemic] has caused the WORLD to feel isolated or maybe even some have been feeling incarcerated mentally, physically, spiritually, socially, or economically.
Even though it's only been a few weeks to a little over a month or so with not working, operating routinely, providing normalcy, or even doing some everyday activities- we are having to be mindful of the now. I come today to say that despite practicing the enforcing social distancing regulations, there are benefits to those that now have heightened alone time.
It is only until when we as human beings begin to understand how to "master" the art of being alone meaningfully, that we reach a place in self where we see that alone time is necessary for the growth and development of our imagination, our creativity, and our learning. It is a place where we discover personal solitude, get absorbed in our own thoughts, and have "intense directed attention" to self. It is a time to slow down and reflect. A time to go from simply being instead of always doing.
Now that the power of down time has been magnified in the direction of positivity, here are some steps from an actual [inmate], myself, upon having done almost 17 years of incarceration from being caught up in a penal system designed for mass incarceration. I pray that these steps can bless you during this season of isolation. May you be reminded that much good can come from this when you make the conscious decision to choose positivity and mindfulness.
10 Steps for Surviving Imprisonment and Isolation:
1]Waking up praying [everyday], giving thanks to whom you believe in.
2] Fasting throughout the day or week.
3]Talking to love ones: Discuss current situations, plans for the future, and personal endeavors.
4] Reading daily: Your mind is the sharpest tool you possess.
5] Exercising: Use the equipment and resources available in your home. NO EXCUSES!
6] Talking over the phone: Pick up the phone and don’t rely solely on texting.
7] Having dinner discussions/ Cooking together. Bring back meaning to the dinner table.
8] Developing a daily routine: Have direction for your day daily but have fun switching up the order of sequence.
9] Getting adequate sleep.
10] Praying again! You can never have too much prayer. Start and end it with spiritual guidance.
I love you my daughter and thank her for her support and from her siblings throughout the years. Stay focused on God and thank you to everyone who has tuned in!!!
It’s Christian here, and I pray that this has been a blessing to all who have read it. If my dad has chosen to RISE, I know that you can too! Let’s rewrite our quarantine narrative and reclaim our time. Love you dearly, RISERS!
Be sure to tune in to my new Youtube channel “RISING with Christian”.
Desire to share? Copy and paste the above URL and feel free to encourage others!